Insulator for line wires



May 10, 1949. GRUPEN 2,469,384

INSULATOR FOR LINE WIRES Filed Jan. 25, 1947 fig 0 15 iii 1\ ii |ht 14 II 29 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May 10, 1949 UNIT ED S TAT ES PAT ENT 0 FF ICE INSULATOR FOR LINE WIRES James L. Grupen, San Gabriel, Calif.

Application January 25, 1947, Serial No. 724,335 13 Claims; (01. Lia-169) This invention relates to insulators for line wires and has for its general object to provide improved means for securely anchoring a line wireto hold the same against end-wire slacken ing movement in either direction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an insulator embodying novel, improved and effective means which, upon any tendency of the wire to slip endwise in either direction, automatically more tightly grips said wire to prevent such slippage,

Another object of the invention is to provide improved non-ferrous metallic means, either permanently or separablymounted on a correntional line insulator, which embodies line gripping means as indicated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a line wire insulator which effectively grips a wire to hold: the same against endwise movement and yet permits rotation or turning of said wire under torsional. forces.

A. further object of the inventionis to provide a line wire gripping insulator that securely holds a wire which may become broken between insulators to prevent slack along the line in both directions of the break, whereby repairs arefacilitated with resultantv low cost of such repairs.

My invention also has-for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simp1e,and of general superiority and 'serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters des ignate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a side elevational view of an insulator embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises, generally, an insulator 5, an upper metallic extension 6 thereon, wedge means 1 carried by said extension for gripping a line wire W, cammeans 8 for effecting tightening of the wedge means to grip a wire, and resilient centering 2 means 9 for the wedge means and also efiective to obviate seizure of the latter under conditions of snow and ice.

The insulator 5 is shown as one of conventional form and is made of porcelain, glass or other suitable dielectric material. The. insulator, typically, is provided with apseat for a stud Ill where by it is carriedby a' po1e,'.a cross-arm thereof, or other support. The insulator shown. has a gen.- erally circular shape, in. plan, and is provided with an annular top'bead'or flange Il defined by a reduced neck f2 therebeneath. The neck l2, under prior conditions had the purpose of receiving line wire securing means. In the instant case, said neck, together with the bead. ti, has

the function. of effectingxfi'rm connection of the insulator and its extension 6.

The extension 6 comprises a non-ferrous metallic element suchasbronze. As shown, the extension is formed with. a base part 53 and an upper, generally conical integral part which is bifurcated to providea vertical slot [5 extending centrally throughthe conical part 54. In practice, the extension 6 is cast directly on. the insulator 5 so that the elements are firmly'bonded against relative movement. However, a separatble connection between the insulator 5 and the extension 6 may be effected for replacement of one or the other due to injury. Split clamp rings, engaged with the neck I2 and threadedly en.- gaged with the basepart 13, may be'employed for effecting such separable connection of the elements.

The upper portion of the conical part I4 is formed with a transverse enlargement 16 on either side of the slot I5. Said enlargement is transversely bored to form a larger bore H. and a smaller aligned, bore Him the cam means 8.

The slot l5 accommodates the wedge means 1 which comprises apair ofopposite arcuate wedge elements [9 and 20., The element 1'9 is formed as a metallic sector whose arcuate face is concavely grooved at 2| for the wire W. Said element is formed with. a central lug 22 at the convergence of its radial sides 23 and said lug isengaged in a seat 24 formed in the. base part lll'of extension 6. The element I9 is thus mounted to tilt or fulcrum about the seat 24 in the bifurcation slot l5. The center of curvature o the face 2!, however, is below the seat 24, as indicated by the point 25 and it willbe obvious thatany rocking movement on its fulcrum, of the wedge element I9, in either. direction, will progressively bring the lateral arcuate portions of said element: l 9 into alignmentwiththe'seat 24 and point 25 with the result that a progressively tighter contact with the wire W is made.

The wedge element 20 is formed as a metallic sector whose arcuate face is concavely grooved at 26 for the wire W and which face is opposite to the grooved face 2| of element H3. The sector 2!! is provided with a hole 2! whereby it is pivotally mounted on the cam means 8 which serves as the fulcrum for the sector. In this instance, also, the point 28 of generation of curvature of the arcuate face 26 is outside, 1. e., above the sector, so that the latter functions similarly to sector l9 but opposite thereto, and said sectors or wedge elements cooperate, when tilted in the same direction, to effect gripping of the wire W between them.

The cam means 8 comprises a stepped shaft having one end 29 rotationally mounted in bore l7 and its other end 30 similarly mounted in bore I8. Between these ends is provided an eccentric part 3| which fits the hole 2! of wedge element 20. The face of eccentric 3| directed toward the bore |8, being larger than said bore, serves to locate the cam means 8 and a cotter pin 32, extending through end 30 and held against rotation in a vertical slot 33 in enlargement I6, maintains the cam means against endwise displacement. An outer polygonal projection 34 is provided on the end of end 29 and a suitable tool applied to the polygonal projection 34 is employed to rotate the cam means to move the eccentric 3! between upper and lower positions.

The wedge elements l9 and 20 are so designed and spaced that, with the eccentric 3| in its up position, and said elements centered and aligned, the space between them is considerably greater than the diameter of wire W, and, with the eccentric down, the space between the elements, 1. e., between their arcuate faces 2| and 26, is somewhat less than the diameter of said wire.

To facilitate assembly, the means 9 is provided for holding the wedge element l9 centrally upright whereby it has a minimum upward projection and greatest spacing from the element 20. In this instance, the means 9 is shown as comprising a pair of compressible pads 35, of rubher or like material, on either side of element I9 between the sides 23 thereof and seats 36 formed in the base part l3. Said pads 35 fill slot l as shown to support element I9 as indicated. Both pads are under some initial compression, whereby upon tilting or rocking of element one will further compress and the other correspondingly expand. The seats 36 obviate lateral displacement of the pads which serve to exclude the formation of ice about element l9 and, therefore, leave it free to rock on its fulcrum under endwise forces on wire W.

The wedge and cam means of the insulator are assembled in the field. First the element I9 and its centering pads are applied in slot IS. The wire W is then dropped into place through the top of slot |5 to rest on element l9. Then, with the eccentric 3| up, the cam means 8 is assembled by passing the same through bores l1 and l8 and hole 2! of wedge element 20. Now, by holding the latter element in centered position and applying a tool to extension 34, the means 3 is rotated to move the eccentric 3i down and, thereby, force the element 20 tightly against the wire W which is firmly clamped between the wedge elements IS and 20. The cotter pin 32 is applied and the assembly is completed.

It will be evident that any endwise pull on wire W, as caused by slack at one end due to a break in said wire, will result in a partial rocking of the wedges and, consequently, a tighter gripping force by said wedges on the wire. Despite the tight clamping of the wire, any torsional forces thereon, if sufficiently great, will effect commensurate compensating rotation of the wire in the seat formed between the gripping portions of wedge faces 2| and 26, since the wedges resist only endwise movement of the wire and not rotation thereof.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An insulator for a line wire comprising a dielectric member, a metallic extension thereon and formed with a bifurcating slot, opposed arcuate wedges in said slot, said wedges having coacting faces, and a shaft having an eccentric bearing for one wedge member, whereby one wedge may be moved toward and from the other by r0- tation of said shaft.

2. An insulator for a line wire comprising a dielectric member, a metallic extension thereon and formed with a vertical bifurcating slot, a pair of opposed arcuate wedges in said slot, a

' fixed fulcrum for one wedge, and a shaft having an eccentric bearing mounting the other wedge for moving the same toward and from the wedge having the fixed fulcrum.

3. An insulator for a line wire comprising a dielectric member, a metallic extension thereon and formed with a bifurcating slot, a pair of opposed arcuate pivoted wedges in said slot, a fixed fulcrum for one wedge, and an eccentric bearing mounting the other wedge and constituting its fulcrum for moving the same toward and from the wedge having the fixed fulcrum, the centers of generation of the curvature of the arcuate wedges being in line with and on opposite sides of said fulcrums.

4. Wire gripping means comprising a pivoted arcuate wedge having a fixed fulcrum, a similar oppositely disposed pivoted wedge having wire gripping association with the first mentioned wedge, and a manually operable eccentric bearing means constituting the pivotal support for the second wedge for effecting movement thereof toward and from said first mentioned wedge.

5. Wire gripping means comprising a pivoted arcuate wedge having a fixed fulcrum, a similar oppositely disposed wedge having an arcuate face for gri ping association with the arcuate face of the first mentioned wedge, and a manually operable eccentric bearing means constituting the pivot of the second Wedge for effecting movement thereof toward and from said first mentioned Wedge, the arcuate portion of each wedge being generated about a point off the fulcrum of the respective wedges and said point lying along extensions of a line drawn through the fulcrums.

6. Wire gripping means comprising a pivoted wedge having an arcuate gripping face and having a fixed fulcrum between said face and the point of generation of its curvature, a similar oppositely disposed pivoted wedge having its arcuate face directed toward the arcuate face of the first mentioned wedge for gripping association with a wire, and an eccentrically mounted hearing forming a pivot for said second wedge, said bearing being manually shiftable for moving the first mentioned wedge from a non-gripping position to a gripping position.

7. Wire gripping means comprising a pivoted wedge having an arcuate gripping face and hav ing a fixed fulcrum between said face and the point of generation of its curvature, a similar oppositely disposed pivoted wedge having its arcuate face directed toward the arcuate face of the first mentioned Wedge for gripping association with a wire, and a manually rotatable shaft including an eccentric bearing forming the pivot for said second Wedge for moving the same into wire gripping position from a spaced non-grip ping position.

8. Wire gripping means comprising a pair of pivoted wedges each having cooperating arcuate faces for gripping a wire therebetween, and a fulcrum for each wedge between its arcuate face and the point of generation of the curvature thereof, whereby an endwise force on the wire in either direction will rock the wedges in the same direction on their fulcrums to bring more pro gressively remote portions of said wedge faces into Wire gripping association, one of said fulcrums being adjustable with respect to the other to effect non-gripping separation of the wedges.

9. Wire gripping means comprising an arcuate wedge having a fixed fulcrum, resilient means engaged with said wedge to hold the same centered on its fulcrum and yieldable to an endwise force on a wire engaged with said wedge, a similar oppositely disposed wedge having wire gripping association with the first mentioned wedge, and manually operable cam means constituting the fulcrum of the second wedge for effecting movement thereof toward and from said first mentioned wedge.

10 Wire gripping means comprising an arouate wedge having a fixed fulcrum, resilient means engaged with said wedge to hold the same centered on its fulcrum and yieldable to an endwise force on a wire engaged with said wedge, said resilient means comprising a compressible pad, one on each side of the Wedge, a similar oppositely disposed wedge having wire gripping association with the first mentioned wedge, and manually operable cam means constituting the ful- 6 crum of the second Wedge for effecting movement thereof toward and from said first mentioned wedge.

11. In wire gripping means, a pair of opposed pivoted wedge shaped members having wire gripping arcuate faces, a fulcrum for each wedge, and means to adjust one fulcrum with respect to the other to effect movement of the Wedges toward from each other, said means comprising a shaft having an eccentric portion extending through and carrying one of the wedges.

12. In wire grip: ng means, a pair of opposed pivoted wedges h ving wire gripping arcuate faces, fulcrum f each wedge, and means to adjust one fulcrum with respect to the other to effect inovezne' t of the wedges toward and from each other, means comprising a shaft having an eccentric portion extending through and carrying one of the wedges. and a tool engageable end on said shaft whereby manual rotation thereof is effected to move the eccentric portion toward and from the fulcrum of the other wedge.

13. Wire gripping means comprising a pivoted arcuate wedge having a fixed fulcrum, a similar oppositely disposed pivoted wedge having a wire gripping face associated with the first mentioned wedge. a manually rotatable shaft having an eccentric bearing portion constituting the pivotal support for the second wedge for effecting movement thereof toward and from said first mentioned wedge, and means for locking said shaft against rotation upon manual adjustment.

JAMES L. GRUPEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 746,671 Carter Dec. 15, 1903 1,176,618 Swearingen Mar. 21, 1916 1,221,894 Neeley Apr. 10, 1917 1,713,426 Drake et a1 May 14, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,473 Great Britain May 15, 1872 25,846 Great Britain Nov. 7, 1910 77,694 Switzerland May 1, 1918 

